Winemaker Notes
#19 Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Wines of 2019
2018 was a wonderfully cool vintage, providing us grapes with great natural acidity and a real vibrancy of flavor. The color is a deep, vivid violet-red, owing in part to the lower pH of the wine. On the nose, the wine has a haunting kirsch note (I suspect that’s the Cinsault), along with associated small red fruits (red and black currant) and perhaps a suggestion of blackberry. My colleague, Nicole Walsh, and I toil away at the Cigare blend every year, and while the blend changes (sometimes radically, as it has this year), we share an idea of the Platonic form of Cigare, and the ‘18 still certainly embodies that form. It goes something like this: juiciness, fruit (but not confected or overripe), brightness, exuberance, joy, and not least, a sense of savoriness. I realize I’m not speaking orthodox wine parlance. We look above all for balance and liveliness, for vinous qi. This wine is still incredibly young and just wants to jump out of its shoes. 52% Grenache, 35% Cinsault, 13% Syrah
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Randall Grahm’s ever-evolving ideology shifted again for the new label and blend of this bottling, which includes 52% Grenache, 35% Cinsault and 13% Syrah. Aromas of plum, cracked pepper, crumpled carnations and dried mint lead into a bright, refreshing palate of hibiscus, anise and a curry-like spice.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: Bonny Doon Vineyard is one of the most iconic wineries in California, if not the world. Founder Randall Grahm launched the brand and built a remarkable legacy that continues today. The Le Cigare Volant, a blend of Rhône grape varieties is the grandfather of New World red blends. The 2018 vintage is good as it has always been. TASTING NOTES: This wine is fresh, bright, and complex. Enjoy its aromas and flavors of red fruits and savory spices with a well-seasoned Porchetta. (Tasted: November 14, 2019, San Francisco, CA)
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
A geographic and climatic paradise for grape vines, Monterey is a part of the greater Central Coast AVA and contains within it five smaller sub-appellations, including Arroyo Seco, San Lucas, San Bernabe, Hames Valley and the famous Santa Lucia Highlands. The climate is relatively warm but tempered by cool, coastal winds, allowing the regions in Monterey County an exceptionally long growing season. Bud break often happens two weeks sooner and harvest tends to be two weeks later compared to other surrounding regions.
Monterey’s coastal side, where the cooling ocean fog allows grapes to develop a perfect sugar-acid balance, excels in the production of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling. Warmer, inland subzones are home to fleshy, concentrated and full-bodied reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel.
Chardonnay, covering about 40% of vineyard acreage, is the most widely planted grape in all of Monterey County.